Urgent warning to millions of drivers over worrying ‘DVLA’ email falsely claiming their vehicle tax payment has failed
BRIT drivers have been warned to watch out for a worrying email claiming to be from the DVLA.
The communication is a fake but the message could alarm motorists into making a costly mistake.
It suggests that your vehicle tax payment has failed and contains dodgy links to pay up.
Cyber crooks regularly deploy these sorts of tactics knowing that some people will hastily jump to resolve the matter without thinking it through.
It’s against the law to drive a vehicle without road tax – and anyone caught driving without it could be fined up to £1000.
Action Fraud says it has received more than 1,000 reports about fake emails claiming to be from the DVLA.
They warn that these are designed to steal personal and financial information.
So be on the lookout for any that say your vehicle tax payment has failed.
If you do spot the scam in your inbox, it’s best to report it to the national scam reporting service.
You can do this by forwarding it onto report@phishing.gov.uk.
Phil Morgan, Head of Fraud Policy Investigation at DVLA, has previously warned: “We never ask for bank or credit card details by text message or email, so if you receive something like this, it’s a scam.”
Sarah Lyons, Deputy Director for Economy and Society for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ – says: “It’s important to stay vigilant to suspicious messages as we know that criminals often imitate legitimate organisations like the DVLA to make their scam seem more convincing.
“Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you’ve received an untrustworthy email or text message, but our latest guidance gives advice on how to spot the signs of a scam.”
How to spot a scam email
Check the sender’s email – does it match trusted web addresses used by the organisation they’re claiming to be?
Scams often – but don’t always – use generic greetings like “dear customer”.
Fraudsters rely on creating a sense of urgency – so be warned if you’re being told to act immediately.
They’re also more prone to grammar and spelling errors.
What to do if you think you’ve been scammed
IF you’ve lost money in a scam, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or by visiting Actionfraud.police.uk.
You should also contact your bank or credit card provider immediatley to see if they can stop or trace the cash.
If you don’t think your bank has managed your complaint correctly, or if you’re unhappy with the verdict it gives on your case you can complain to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
Also monitor your credit report in the months following the fraud to ensure crooks don’t make further attempts to steal your cash.